Method and device for preserving the meat of a slaughtered bird

Abstract

Method and device for preserving the meat of a slaughtered bird or a part thereof, in which the bird or the part thereof is firstly cooled in a short time until the core temperature of the meat is lower than the temperature at which heat-shortening occurs at the prevailing acidity; and next the bird or the part thereof is cooled further, in the course of which the core temperature of the heat remains higher than the temperature at which cold-shortening occurs at the prevailing acidity. During the cooling steps the surface is cooled to such a temperature that the germ counts or decay-causing and pathogenic micro-organisms remain below a predetermined value.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A device for preserving the meat of a slaughtered bird or a part thereof, comprising: conveyor means for conveying the slaughtered bird or a part thereof along a path into, through and out of one or more cooling rooms, the one or more cooling rooms comprising a first cooling zone with a spraying device for spraying cold water on the bird or the part thereof, and means for producing a cold air stream directed at the bird or part thereof, the device further comprising a second cooling zone containing cold air of sufficiently low relative humidity that the surface of the bird or the part thereof is essentially dry after passing therethough.   
     
     
       2. A device according to claim 1, the conveying path having a predetermined length in said first and second cooling zones, and comprising means for setting a conveyance speed of the conveyor means for conveying the slaughtered bird or the part thereof, taking into account said predetermined length, along said path in the first cooling zone for at most about three quarters of an hour, and along said path in the second cooling zone at least about two hours and at most about five hours. 
     
     
       3. A device according to claim 1, wherein the second cooling zone is provided with means for producing a cold air stream directed at the bird or the part thereof. 
     
     
       4. A device according to claim 1, wherein the conveyor means conveys the slaughtered bird or a part thereof along a path through and out of two cooling rooms. 
     
     
       5. A device according to claim 1, wherein only a part of the track in the first cooling zone runs through a spraying station for spraying cold water on the bird or the part thereof. 
     
     
       6. A device for preserving the meat of a slaughtered bird or a part thereof, comprising a conveyor for moving the slaughtered bird or a part thereof along a path into, through and out of a first cooling zone and a second cooling zone, (a) the first cooling zone including a first means for cooling the bird or the part thereof, and   (b) the second cooling zone including a second means for cooling the bird or the part thereof and drying the surface of the bird or the part thereof.   
     
     
       7. The device for preserving the meat of a slaughtered bird or a part thereof of claim 6, wherein: (a) the first cooling means comprises a means for directing water and air against the bird or the part thereof, and   (b) the second cooling means comprises a means for directing air against the bird or the part thereof.   
     
     
       8. The device for preserving the meat of a slaughtered bird or a part thereof of claim 6, wherein: (a) the first cooling means comprises a means for directing water and air against the bird or the part thereof, and   (b) the second cooling means comprises a means for directing against the bird or the part thereof air of sufficiently low relative humidity that the surface of the bird or the part thereof is essentially dry after passing therethrough.   
     
     
       9. The device for preserving the meat of a slaughtered bird or a part thereof of claim 6, wherein: (a) the first cooling means comprises a means for directing water and air against the bird or the part thereof,   (b) the second means comprises a means for directing air against the bird or the part thereof, and   (c) only a part of the track in the first cooling zone runs through a spraying station for spraying cold water on the bird or the part thereof.   
     
     
       10. A device for preserving the meat of a slaughtered bird or part thereof, comprising: a conveyor for moving the bird or a part thereof along a path into, through and out of a first cooling zone and a second cooling zone,   the first cooling zone comprising a first means for cooling by directing water and air against the bird or the part thereof to reduce the core temperature of the meat to a temperature lower than the temperature at which heat-shortening occurs, and   the second cooling zone comprising a second means for cooling the bird or the part thereof by directing air against the bird or a part thereof while maintaining the core temperature of the meat at a temperature higher than the temperature at which cold-shortening occurs.   
     
     
       11. The device for preserving the meat of a slaughtered bird or a part thereof of claim 10, wherein the second cooling means further comprises a means for drying the surface of the bird or the part thereof. 
     
     
       12. A device according to claim 10, wherein only a part of the track in the first cooling zone runs through a spraying station for spraying cold water on the bird or the part thereof. 
     
     
       13. A device for preserving the meat of a slaughtered bird or a part thereof, comprising: (a) a first processing means for cooling the bird or the part thereof to a core temperature lower than 35° C. within at most about three quarters of an hour, and   (b) a second processing means for cooling the bird or the part thereof to a core temperature lower than 10° C. during a period of at least about two hours and at most about five hours.   
     
     
       14. A device for preserving the meat of a slaughtered bird or a part thereof, comprising: (a) a first processing means for cooling the bird or the part thereof to a core temperature lower than 35° C. within at most about three quarters of an hour, and   (b) a second processing means for simultaneously: (1) cooling the bird or the part thereof to a core temperature lower than 10° C. during a period of at least about two hours and at most about five hours and   (2) removing moisture from the surface of the bird or the part thereof until the surface is essentially dry.     
     
     
       15. A device for preserving the meat of a slaughtered bird or a part thereof, comprising: (a) conveyor means for conveying the slaughtered bird or the part thereof along a conveying path into, through and out of one or more cooling rooms, the one or more cooling rooms comprising: (1) a first cooling zone with a spraying device for spraying cold water on the bird or the part thereof, and a means for producing a cold air stream directed at the bird or part thereof, and   (2) a second cooling zone, the conveying path having a predetermined length in said first and second conveyance cooling zones, and     (b) a means for setting a conveyance speed of the conveyor means for conveying the slaughtered bird or the part thereof, taking into account said predetermined length, along said path in the first cooling zone for at most about three quarters of an hour, and along said path in the second cooling zone at least about two hours and at most about five hours.   
     
     
       16. A device according to claim 15, wherein the second cooling zone is provided with a means for producing a cold air stream directed at the bird or the part thereof. 
     
     
       17. A device according to claim 15, wherein only a part of the track in the first cooling zone runs through a spraying station for spraying cold water on the bird or the part thereof.